Making scrutiny real at Harrogate Borough Council

Barbara Rickards, Tenant RepresentativeDavid Allford, Tenant Involvement Officer

• Our tenant involvement structure • How we chose the scrutiny subject• Forming the scrutiny group and allocating work• Getting to know our subject / the priorities we agreed• Engaging with others / our tips for a good survey• Reaching our findings and writing our report• Taking our report to decision makers• Action planning and monitoring• What’s been the impact?

We’ll be covering:

Our tenant involvement structure:Panel based:

Housing and Property Services

Panel

NeighbourhoodServices and

Housing Needs Panel

Newsletter Editorial Group

Leaseholder Annual Meeting

Tenant Panel (Open) Meeting

All Panels’ Group

In addition – facebook page; occasional focus groups; STAR surveys etc

How we chose the scrutiny subject:

All Panels’ Group proposed subject based on response to quarterly property refusals report

All Panels’ Group determined membership of the scrutiny group

Forming the scrutiny group and allocating the work:

Keep it small!

Sharing the work

Getting to know our subject:

First meeting of scrutiny group held in early Feb 2019

Briefing session held with Neighbourhood Services Manager and Allocations

Team Leader

Scrutiny group prepared a list of 17 questions / info requests which

were addressed by Allocations Team Leader and Officer at second

meeting

Background reading – policy, application form, waiting list info, material on website

etc

Ongoing invites to key staff to provide briefings on procedures, respond to queries,

clarification and information requests

The priorities we agreed:

Reviewing the information people

receive when they go on the housing waiting

list

Managing expectations about our stock and

availability

Looking at the information provided

to people with the offer of a home

Reviewing the application form

Looking at the number of geographical areas people have to select

Engaging with others:

Survey sent out to all people allocated a new

home in the last 12 months

Recipients of survey asked to indicate their willingness

to attend focus groupsTwo focus groups held

Our tips for a good survey:

Keep the questions simpleGive people a chance to add

commentsIncentivise with shopping

voucher etcFreepost return envelope

Reminder mailing to non-responders

Invitation to focus groups optional

Importance of data protection – make clear how

information being used or shared

Make it clear that scrutiny group completely

independent from landlord –importance of survey being seen to come from Scrutiny

Group and not HBC

Reaching our findings and writing our report:

Analysing responses to survey

Identifying key themes from focus

groups

Cross checking

with allocations team staff

Clarifying existing

offer practice /

divergence from policy

etc

Drafting the report

Our findings / recommendations:

1. Need for applicants to have improved access to information relating to the localities HBC covers, the nature of the housing stock and amenities to be found in particular areas

2. Amendments to the housing application form3. Reducing the number of geographical areas which must be selected to 24. Adherence to existing policy in terms of viewings and offers5. Concerns regarding reported condition of some voids – beyond scope of scrutiny but

passed to relevant department

Taking our report to the decision makers

Presentation to Neighbourhood Services Manager and Allocations

Team Leader

Preparation of action plan with responsibilities

identified

Presentation to Cabinet Member for Housing

Drawing up an action plan and monitoring the landlord’s response

6 monthly monitoring and report to All Panels’ Group

Our scrutiny work – what’s been the impact from previous reports produced by the group?VOIDs • Property handover visits implemented with staff meeting with outgoing

tenant at property• Reasons for refusals of tenancy offers now reported quarterly to tenant panel• Void period target reassessed and now averaging 10-12 days

Repairs• On-line repairs reporting being trialled / major software update underway• Ability of call centre improved to diagnose basic repairs• Introduction of clear priority system for repairs

ASB

• Revised diary sheets introduced• ASB cases categorised according to severity• Staff training improved• HBC has become signatory to Chartered Institute for Housing (CiH) Respect Charter

and drawn up additional action plan to ensure Charter commitments are being achieved

Questions …

For more information:

Barbara Rickards – br4125@btopenworld.com / 01423 771475David Allford – david.allford@harrogate.gov.uk / 01423 500600 ext 58411